While we are discussing the changing scene of D 1 Softball, I extend a heartfelt congratulations to Maya Johnson, Belmont's All-American pitcher, for exiting the portal and returning to Belmont for her final season.
She entered the portal as a grad transfer because Belmont discontinued the Masters in Nursing degree program that she was intent on pursuing. She returned to Belmont when they added a different advanced nursing degree program.
Johnson could have gone anywhere in the country and been handsomely rewarded, but chose to return to Belmont out of loyalty to the program that gave her a chance when no one else would.
I won't go into details here, but Maya Johnson is a true warrior; a person who has overcome great personal adversity to achieve at the highest level in softball and in life.